New achievements in the fight against counterfeit Swiss watches

Around one million counterfeit Swiss watches were confiscated worldwide in 2023. Keystone / Sandro Campardo

Most of the confiscated counterfeit Swiss watches come from China and Hong Kong. This year there have also been new payoffs targeting counterfeit Swiss watches in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt.

The fight against counterfeit watches is one of the main concerns of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. More than half of the seizures still involve counterfeits from China and Hong Kong. However, this year saw the first results in other important countries: 150,000 watches were confiscated in Saudi Arabia, 62,000 in Turkey and 25,000 in Egypt.

Around one million counterfeit Swiss watches were confiscated worldwide in 2023, association president Jean-Daniel Pasche told the Keystone-SDA news agency. On the one hand, the association constantly monitors the market for fake “Swiss Made” watches on websites and social media. On the other hand, it offers training courses for customs and police officers in various countries.

+ ‘Buying a watch remains a deeply emotional act’

Films and fashion also affected

After the pandemic, these training courses can no longer only be offered virtually, but also in face-to-face classes again. For example, courses have been held in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Belgium, Hungary and Turkey. In Asia, the association is focussing on Malaysia.

As a reminder: last year, customs and police employees were trained in Peru, Portugal, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Poland and already in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Counterfeiting does not only affect the watch industry. Medicines, films, music and fashion items are also counterfeited.

+‘The arrival of foreign capital has not harmed Swiss watchmaking’

Tourists who buy a counterfeit “Swiss Made” watch abroad are not immune to being caught when they return to Switzerland. “There are also confiscations at the Swiss border,” said association president Jean-Daniel Pasche.

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